DigitalCMH wrote:
I could get an agent?

I was reading an article about how photographers are selected for advertising campaigns. I was surprised to read that a vast majority of the photographers used by the agency/art director being quoted  had representation. I'm sure I wouldn't make the cut at an agency, but it's yet another piece of interesting information about this industry.

Aaron_H wrote:
ok, this thread took a weird twist. There are fashion shooters in the Workbook as well, but advertising in the 3 sourcebooks mentioned has little to do with the subject of reps/agents, and the ASMP is a photographers trade organization and has no relation to the Workbook. That's sort of like saying the yellow pages are good but the fire department is a good organization too.... what does it mean? Non-sequiturs-R-US

That being said, not sure about the other books, but in the Workbook you can find listings of Reps. You need to market yourself to a rep the same way you would to Ad Agencies, editors, designers or other clients.

Aaron, there is some crossover between the two books, but as a graphic designer if I were asked to find a commercial lifestyle photographer, I would look in Workbook.

I offered these industry references as an alternative to a rep. I know several photographers who regularly work on national accounts, and bill $4,000-$8,000 a job, that do not have any representation.

Doug Swinskey wrote:
you probably have to be billing about a hundred thousand a year before you appear attractive to any rep...

and if you are..do you need a rep?

Not necessarily. This is from shutterbug. I thought it was interesting. I read a post somewhere from another photographer who works with a rep. He just wanted to have someone go out and make the contacts so he could concentrate on the work and money part of it. It's like an actor's agent. THe agent is supposed to make the contacts and 'pimp' you out for potential work. The reps get a cut, like an agent does. The photographer's rep is all about business and money, so if you have a like mind, solid portfolio of work and clients of your own to start,  you will be able to procure one. Obviously, if you are shooting TFP more than paid work, this is not for you. But that's not to say that if you do any promo work, it will look bad. Oh shoot, I'm starting to wander...just read on:

1. You are too busy with photography assignments, building new portfolios, and self-assignments to make the personal contacts to find new clients and keep the ones you have.

2. You have enough repeat business from a stable client base of “house accountsâ€? that allows you to spend the money on the additional promotional materials reps require.

3. You have a strong style, direction, or specialty that a rep can sell to a targeted prospective client base.

4. You consider yourself first as a business then as a photographer. Reps like to work with photographers who appreciate the “for profitâ€? aspect of the business.

5. You are open to new ways and new ideas to promote your business and need a rep’s time, energy, and expertise to help you.

6. You have a portfolio ready to go out the door and it represents the kind of work that you want to do more of. Working on commission, reps can’t stand around waiting for you to develop portfolios and promo pieces for the work you want.

7. You have a marketing budget for self-promotion of 10 percent of projected gross sales. You will need to provide a rep with all the promotion materials for the new marketing plan to support your
joint goals.

8. You know that you will not spend less time or money on your marketing by having a rep. It is just that you will not be doing the same things. For example, instead of calling the clients yourself, you will be creating new portfolio pieces for the rep to call the clients!

To find out information on reps, most of the creative source books (such as www.workbook.com) list the names and contact information of the different types of photography reps. You can also check with SPAR, the Society of Photographers and Artists Representatives, at www.spar.org. In addition, Writer’s Digest Books (www.writersdigest.com) publishes their annual Photographer’s Market book and it lists stock photo agencies, galleries, art/photo reps, and fine art reps and the information on how to contact them.

Aaron_H wrote:
ok, this thread took a weird twist. There are fashion shooters in the Workbook as well, but advertising in the 3 sourcebooks mentioned has little to do with the subject of reps/agents, and the ASMP is a photographers trade organization and has no relation to the Workbook.

Your knowledge of ASMP is relevant with your comment.

At least go to the site and see what you're missing.

ASMP has referred me to about 20% of my work, both stock/editorial and straight commercial.

C R Photography wrote:

Your knowledge of ASMP is relevant with your comment.

At least go to the site and see what you're missing.

ASMP has referred me to about 20% of my work, both stock/editorial and straight commercial.

umm, I'm a member of ASMP. It's not a repping agent. Yes, the "find a photographer" feature can bring in jobs, but it's just a listing where potential clients can find you, it has no relation to having a rep which is something altogether different. Many members of the ASMP and APA have reps, the organizations don't in any way, shape, or form, replace or perform the functions of a rep.

XtremeArtists wrote:

Aaron, there is some crossover between the two books, but as a graphic designer if I were asked to find a commercial lifestyle photographer, I would look in Workbook.

I offered these industry references as an alternative to a rep. I know several photographers who regularly work on national accounts, and bill $4,000-$8,000 a job, that do not have any representation.

Those are venues to advertise in (if you're ready workwise and financially) but they aren't really alternatives to a rep. They are just components of a marketing plan. You'll find most of the shooters in the major source books also have reps, or, in fact, that a lot of the ads in the source books are actually ads done by reps showing a few or several of their shooters. I'm not arguing that there aren't lots of photographers doing big jobs that don't have reps, or that there aren't photographers who advertise in source books & use other marketing methods who don't have reps. I'm just saying that those things are not the same as having a rep, nor are they replacements for having a rep.

Having a source book ad is, well, advertising, and it's passive. A rep is, or should be, so much more. Not everyone needs a rep or is ready for or able to get a good rep, and suggesting good forms of marketing or adversting is fine, but it's not right to suggest that source book ads or joining good trade groups like ASMP and APA are similar or equivelent to having a rep.

I can't urge strongly enough that people read the Selina Oppenheim articles on finding and working with reps and explaning what they do, that I linked to earlier. I don't know of anyone more qualified or that goes into more depth on the subject. Those are the Port Authority links I listed.